Review | SolidS “DIAMOND”

SolIdS

SolidS surprise with an elegant take on their trademark passionate sound in DIAMOND.

SolidS DIAMOND

Title: SQ 「CARDS」 Series Volume 2 SolidS 「DIAMOND」
Label: Tsukipro/Movic 
Release date: 24/04/2020 
Genre: Jazz-rock / Acoustic / Ballad

Tracklist:

1 - GAME IS MINE 
2 - Timeless 
3 - GAME IS MINE -off vocal- 
4 - Timeless -off vocal-

Track by track analysis:

1 – GAME IS MINE

GAME IS MINE is unlike anything SolidS has released before. The flamboyance and allure in jazz music is at center stage in this dimly lit club to which the listener is transported to.

The contrabass reverberates. And suddenly, you are deep into that classy melody that is dictating an exciting pacing for this track. The drums as simple, riding on a warm snare sound and powerful bass drum, adding some depth to this song.

Brass adds a layer of elegance and “danger” – you know what I am talking about – to this track, adding the final touches to this fancy soundscape. The tension in the verses is handled in a different way than usual for SolidS. Instead of going all out

As we get to the pre-chorus, a rhodes piano melody makes its way – yet in a muffled way -, quieting the other instruments for a brief couple of seconds, putting the complete spotlight on SolidS‘ vocals. This is such a little detail but gives a neat touch to this track. The bridge puts once again the focus on the contrabass melody but adds gated guitar riffs into the mix. On top of that, you get fancy, ethereal vocals from the tenor team.

Vocally, there is a lot going on.

For starters, can we talk about having Soma Saito delivers those lines in the intro in a low, alluring tone? Perfect set of tone for this track, both fitting the character in question – Tsubasa – but also Saito’s newfound “sexy” edge on the vocal end.

But let’s not forget about everyone else.

GAME IS MINE is a team performance of the highest quality. If there is something that you’ll notice when listening to this song is that SolidS continue to play around with their increasing vocal quality and varied skillsets.

The baritone team – Takuya Eguchi and Yuichiro Umehara – and the tenor team – Soma Saito and Natsuki Hanae – work in an interesting way for this track.

Depth – there is a lot of vibrato going on – and flair is provided by the baritone team. At the same time, the sexy edge is added by the high notes, harmonies and falsetto by the tenor team. Add both teams and you get a dynamic performance in which all voices are easy to tell apart.

All shining.

All in the spotlight.

And you can’t take your eyes (ears) off of them.

That is the epitome of a charismatic and alluring performance in my books and with an instrumental like this one, this is a surefire winner.

2 – Timeless

Things change once again and for Timeless, the quartet surprises by ditching their trademark alluring edge. You read it well. Ditch their trademark alluring sound.

Timeless is such a pleasant surprise to find in DIAMOND. It is inspiring and beautiful. For a group all about power and fiery passion – about alcohol and or women -, this is a massive departure from their themes and sound.

An inspiring piano melody, strings hits and a simple snare + clap track slowly hold the listener’s hand, taking us along this unique trip. Acoustic guitars join the track just as we get to the pre-chorus, never to go away while adding a warmth and relatable touch to the track. The chorus adds electric guitar riffs and a sitar accent in the background, adding to the emotional tone of this track.

The 1st and 2nd verses are different in tone, with the 1st being rawer but, surprisingly, the 2nd being more powerful when it comes to hitting your emotions in the right places. The slow pacing and focus on the vocals is yet another point that I love about this song.

For example, the bridge. The build-up made on the vocal side, leading to that ethereal falsetto by Natsuki Hanae is perfect to showcase what the focus of this song is: the vocals and, preferably, the lyrics. The unusual, warm, and gentle lyrics coming from a group that you’d never dream would challenge themselves to do it.

The vocals are stellar on this track. Once again, with a quiet, acoustic instrumental, the focus lies on the vocals and SolidS had to be on point if they wanted to leave a positive mark. While not particularly known for performing ballads, the experience that each member brings to this group as well as their chemistry, made it possible to pull off an emotional, relatable performance that resonates with the listener.

The consistency and control in their vocals made this performance stand out but the MVP on the vocal end is, undoubtedly, Hanae. A big part of those details that make chills run down my spine, each time I hit play on this song, come from his vocals. Great technique and control made him shine.

A song I didn’t know I was in need of coming from SolidS. Masterful performance.

Final considerations

SolidS upped their game for their entry in the CARDS series.

DIAMOND shines way beyond what was expected coming from what is the franchise’s well-known passionate and alluring quartet. The vocals were crisp, and distinctive. Perfect line distribution and consistency and control of everyone’s vocals put everyone in SolidS on the same page.

Aside from the obvious improvement on the vocal end, the instrumentals were completely unexpected and so were the vibes/themes in both songs.

A massive thank you to John-san for the breathtaking – and unexpected – compositions in this release.

GAME IS MINE created a rich soundscape that takes the listener to an elegant, small jazz club for a performance that could as well be forbidden due to how much the group has leveled up their allure for it.

The fact that the whole song was built around a simple contrabass riff is something that makes it sound rather unique and exotic. This is a big change from their electronic-rock sound that, more often than not, is riding on top of a cool synth line or fancy guitar riff.

Guys, remember: their last release was the electronica-heavy – I AM A BARTENDER. This is a massive change in sound for the quartet.

The energy is off the charts although the song is far from being insanely fast like some of their previous brief touches on jazz music – i.e. SEXY☆SENSE. The tempo was perfect, and the instrumentalization, progression, and performances were the best I’ve heard coming from SolidS.

Timeless is the kind of song that you’d easily hand to QUELL or even SOARA.

Yet, SolidS got to perform it.

An acoustic ballad.

No innuendos.

No talk about alcohol or women.

Just a straightforward song in which SolidS bare their hearts for their fans.

While sounding a bit off in the first couple of seconds – due to how unexpected it is -, the song starts to slowly sink in, and in, and in… When you get to the 1st chorus, you’re already completely invested into this song and totally surrendered to SolidS’ unexpected sweet and honest side.

While most groups would start going into creative stagnation after 5 years in the industry, SolidS continues to reinvent itself and improve by heaps and bounds. Vocally, SolidS continues to surpass itself and if it wasn’t noticeable in the previous releases, it now is obvious.

This is the most balanced the group has sounded since debut – and it is especially surprising given how they have been pretty balanced and consistent in the past 2 years.

It has been a delight to follow their evolution – even with its hiccups along the way -, and find this insanely talented group of male seiyuu being completely confident in their skills and acing any kind of composition that is thrown at them.

SolidSDIAMOND is a must-listen release for this and much more. Make sure to check it out if you can.

SQ 「CARDS」 Series Volume 2 SolidS「DIAMOND」 is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.

Vanessa Silva
Vanessa Silvahttps://www.handthatfeedshq.com
The Hand That Feeds HQ founder, content creator, and music reviewer. Basically, the only person managing everything at The Hand That Feeds HQ. Stumbling upon Mamoru Miyano's "Orpheus" in 2011 was the start of this journey. If music is thought-provoking or deep, you may find her writing almost essays (not limited to, but it happens a lot with Soma Saito's music). She's the producer and host of the male seiyuu-centric podcast, SEIYUU LOUNGE (see Spotify link in this profile).

Latest News

Mamoru Miyano to release new single “DRESSING”

Popular solo artist Mamoru Miyano wraps up 2024 in style with the release of his 26th single "DRESSING".

SparQlew to Release 3rd mini-album “Dear”

SparQlew wraps up 2024 with the release of their 3rd mini-album titled "Dear".
00:01:28

Out this Week | Shugo Nakamura, XlamV, DRAMATIC STARS and more

Shugo Nakamura celebrates his 5th anniversary as a solo artist, DRAMATIC STARS opens the 10th anniversary celebrations for the SideM franchise, Yuma Uchida teams up with his sister for a special single and XlamV is back.

QUARTET NIGHT to release new single “TABOO NIGHT XXXX”

QUARTET NIGHT releases a new single on Christmas, the theme song for the upcoming movie, Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ The Movie: TABOO NIGHT XXXX.

6 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here
Captcha verification failed!
CAPTCHA user score failed. Please contact us!

REVIEW OVERVIEW

GAME IS MINE
Timeless

SUMMARY

DIAMOND shines way beyond what was expected coming from what is the franchise's well known passionate and alluring quartet. Vocals were crisp, distinctive. Perfect line distribution and a consistency and control on everyone's vocals put everyone in SolidS in the same page. Then add a groovy jazz tune and a sweet - unexpected - ballad and you're set. SolidS are in peak form right now.

Related posts

Support THTFHQspot_img
DIAMOND shines way beyond what was expected coming from what is the franchise's well known passionate and alluring quartet. Vocals were crisp, distinctive. Perfect line distribution and a consistency and control on everyone's vocals put everyone in SolidS in the same page. Then add a groovy jazz tune and a sweet - unexpected - ballad and you're set. SolidS are in peak form right now.Review | SolidS "DIAMOND"